Sometimes Opposites Attract
by basicwannabes
Summary: Pippa, a Muggle-born witch, meets flaming red-headed Fred Weasley and they could not be more different. When they start to become friendly, shy quiet-spoken Pippa starts to wonder if maybe the saying is true. Maybe opposites do attract. How else would she be so attracted to Fred, a trickster and rebel through and through? Rated T because I'm playing it safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Thanks for checking out my story! This is eventually going to become a OC/Fred W. romance, but I wanted to do some background first. I think I'm going to try for two more chapters in this 'past' setting, then eventually fast forward to their 6th year, where most of the story will probably take place. Hope you like it!**

* * *

It was quite a surprise for Mr. and Mrs. Perlman when an owl arrived at their doorstep one day carrying a letter for their eldest child, Philippa. Philippa, or Pippa by anyone who truly knew her, held the letter with such tenderness for an eleven year old. She could feel the power and magic waiting for her and could not wait to start over. Mr. and Mrs. Perlman were not proud or impressed, to say the least.

"Philippa, you will not attend this Pigwart School of Rubbish. It is inexplicably an absurd hippy school that will fill your head with nonsense and teach you evil spells," Mrs. Perlman had said, sticking her rather pointy nose into the air with superiority.

"Mum, it's Hogwarts. They say I'm a witch! I can do real magic!" little Pippa had insisted. She had read the letter hundreds of times by then.

"Honestly, Philippa, it's a scam. There is no such thing as 'real magic'. Now go study for your math exam," Mr. Perlman said, his large teeth protruding in a most unattractive way.

Mr. and Mrs. Perlman loved to brag about their children, so they always made sure that both Pippa and 6 year old Leo, were studying hard, in at least 3 sports, and at the top of their class. Needless to say, Pippa didn't like sports much and studying math was a bore. Pippa, by the age of eleven, didn't even know what kind of activities she liked because all the ones she was involved in were forced on her. But now, she knew that more than anything, she wanted to go to Hogwarts and get out of this house.

Less than a week later, the Perlmans got a knock on their plain white door. Mrs. Perlman gave a little yelp as she opened it to reveal Mr. Perlman's estranged sister, Aunt Nola, standing at the door, dressed head to toe in a fuzzy purple dress, complete with a matching hat and gloves.

"S-Samuel! Um, your sister is here!" Mrs. Perlman shouted down the hall, while giving Nola a forced over-perky smile.

"Nola? I thought that- Oh, hello, Nola," Mr. Perlman stuttered, pulling nervously at his collar. "We-we weren't expecting you."

"Well, I don't know why you would be, considering you haven't bothered to ever write or call me, much less invite me over," Nola said, while brushing past her brother and sister-in-law and making her way into their rather ordinary house. Pippa peered down the stairs and down at this woman. She couldn't hear what her parents or the woman was saying but she displayed an aura of confidence. She was bold, but not overly cocky, feeling she was superior, like her parents did. Whoever this strange woman was, Pippa wanted to be like. Minus the clothes.

"Well, Nola, we never- you never- we didn't get information- you-," Mr. Perlman stuttered out, trying to find an excuse for alienating his sister.

"No. No excuses," Nola said, holding up her gloved hand. "Now, where are Philippa and Leo? I'd love to meet them."

"Yes, of course. Philippa! Leo! Come down here now!" Mr. Perlman yelled up the stairs, while his wife still cowered in the corner.

As Pippa and Leo slowly made their way down the stairs, Nola's bright smile met them halfway. When Pippa stepped off of the last step, she was immediately enveloped in Nola's warm arms. It was strange, (her parents weren't big on hugging) but nice, and almost familiar. She then moved to hug Leo, who returned the embrace, but then got distracted by some of his toys in the den, and ran over to play.

"Well, you must be Philippa. So nice to meet you, darling," Nola said, genuine happiness in her voice.

"You too! And you are...," Pippa said, still uncertain of who she was.

"Oh, well, I shouldn't be surprised that I'm not spoken of in this house," she replied, giving Pippa's parents a look. "I'm your Aunt Nola, your father's sister. And I hear we have something very special in common," she added, winking. Pippa gave her a confused look.

"Nola, Philippa isn't-" Mr. Perlman tried to butt in, but his sister waved him away.

"Dear, we're both witches!" she exclaimed, her brown eyes twinkling. "You did get your Hogwarts letter, didn't you?"

"I did, but my parents said I couldn't go. They say it's a school of rubbish," Pippa answered.

"Rubbish?!" Nola turned around to face Mr. and Mrs. Perlman, and looked them in the face and Pippa could see them sweat. "Hogwarts is the best school of magic in the area, maybe the world! Some of my best friends work there and Philippa is lucky to get in! Just because you, Samuel, are a Squib, doesn't mean you have to deny her this opportunity." Mr. Perlman gulped and excused himself to use the bathroom. "Now, Philippa, do you want to go to Hogwarts?" Nola asked, her brows knitted together, pleading.

"Of course! But I'm afraid I have a lot to learn. First, what's a Squib?" little Pippa asked, peering up at her aunt.

"A Squib comes from a family of wizards, but does not possess magical ability themselves. Dear, the whole Perlman family is full of witches and wizards, just like you."

_'Explains why I've never met my family...'_ Pippa thought.

"Now, Philippa, I'm going to find your father and we will discuss this," Mrs. Perlman stated, teetering off to the kitchen in her too high heels.

Pippa lead Aunt Nola over to the couch. Nola tried to talk to drown out the loud talking from the kitchen but Pippa could hear the whole conversation.

_"Maybe it's a good thing Nola is here. Philippa is going to start showing those signs of magic soon and it might... be unusual."_ Mr. Perlman whispered. _"This way, she can stay with Nola and it won't give our household any unwanted attention."_

_"Right, this way we could just tell everyone she was accepted into a prestigious boarding school and no one would know she's a- a witch."_ Mrs. Perlman spit the last word out with disgust. Pippa looked down at her hands. She knew her parents loved the ordinary, and Pippa wanted to leave herself, but it still hurt to hear that they would give her up so easily for the sake of normality. Mr. and Mrs. Perlman strutted out of the kitchen and did their best to put a sad face on.

"Darling, this is so hard for us. We love you so much but we feel that with you wanting to go to Pigwarts so much, and Nola being a witch, it would be a great opportunity for you to learn these new skills," Mrs. Perlman said smoothly.

"Nola, if it's no trouble by you, we think it would be a great connection for you to become involved with the culture, if you stayed with Nola before and during school breaks," Mr. Perlman added.

And with that, Pippa was swept up to her room where her parents helped her pack and in an instant she was standing at the door with Nola.

"Goodbye, Philippa! We promise to write and call! We'll see you this summer!" They both rushed in hugging her and waved.

"Wait! Where's Leo? I want to say goodbye to him," Pippa said, peering over her parents shoulders to try to get a peek inside her house. Leo pushed past his parents and hugged Pippa.

"Where're you going, Pip?" he asked. "Will you be home by dinner? I wanna show you a new game I made up!" Pippa blinked back tears and looked at her little brothers eager face. Pippa didn't have much time for friends, with her studying and endless other activities. None of the girls on any of her teams ever made an effort to get to know her, so Leo was all she had.

"I'm afraid I won't be back by dinner. I'm going to a new school and I won't be back for a long time, Leo. But I'll think of you often and write you a bunch. Do you promise to write me?"

"Of course. But how long? Two weeks?" He asked, still confused.

"Probably more. Just remember that I love you, okay? I'll miss you more than anything," she said while pulling him in for another hug and burying her head in his dark hair. "Love you, buddy."

"Love you too, Pip."

And with that she walked to the taxi with Aunt Nola, waving over her shoulder, saying goodbye to the dull life she was accustomed to, and ready for a new adventure.

* * *

**Phew, I hope that wasn't too long. I hope you liked it and please review! Reviews make my day and please give me your honest opinion or any ideas you may have! And I promise we'll meet Fred soon... Maybe next chapter ;) But until then, Au Revoir!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh my gosh, it's been so long. Like what, a month and a half? Ugh, school...**

**Anyway, here's the latest chapter of Sometimes Opposites Attract. And in this chapter we meet Fred and George! Yay! So, enjoy and review! Thanks!**

* * *

The weeks before she started school were nerve racking. Pippa spent much of her time pacing back in forth in her new room, imagining all the things she'd learn and all the new people. She'd gotten many letters from Leo, all asking the same thing. 'It's been a long time, Pip. When do ya think you'll be home?' She didn't have the heart to tell him that she wouldn't be home until next summer so she always avoided the topic and asked what he'd been doing. She just prayed with all her heart he wouldn't be a Squib, so he could come live with them, too.

Other than Leo, there wasn't much else she missed about her old home. Aunt Nola was a wonderful lady, so unlike her brother. She took Pippa shopping for her new school supplies, treated her like a daughter, and even knew not to call her Philippa. Pippa hardly ever left the house without her aunt, beside Nola's urging to look around and try to meet new friends. Truth be told, there weren't many houses around other than a large, tall house, that looked as if it would fall over with the blowing of the wind. Reading and drawing, although her favorite things to do, got old when there was a whole new world to discover.

'And today,' Pippa decided to herself, 'I am going for a walk, and maybe I'll meet whoever lives in that peculiar house.'

She trod down Nola's creaky old stairs and pulled in her shoes before stepping outside. The humidity immediately struck her and her long black hair immediately stuck to her neck. Dust billowed from the dry lane and as Pippa spotted a small pond up a ways, she decided it was an obvious destination.

The pond was green with algae and the plants around it drooped slightly, but Pippa thought it was lovely. It was so unlike anything she'd ever seen in her stuffy London apartment. The young witch recalled her parents always questioning why people would want to live out in the country, so far from work and the pollen would undoubtedly aggravate your allergies. But surely, her parents had never actually been out of the city if that was what they thought.

Pippa sat down on a log, enjoying the blissful peace, thinking about how many things her parents didn't understand and her new life. After a while, she wondered if she should run back to the house and grab a book or a notebook, when she heard a rustling in the bushes. Pippa spun around to see where the noise came from. Wild animals, rabid or not, will always harm you, she recalled her parents saying, another reason to live in the city. She turned cautiously and looked, trying to see past the prickly branches. She didn't see anything, but the thought of the wild made her nervous, so she began to sit up, but she couldn't budge. The rustling got louder and louder, coming closer, and she was just about to scream, when two messy heads of red hair popped out of the bushes. They were boys, twins it looked like, about her age.

"Hello, there. Haven't seen you around before," the one on the left said.

"Seems you've gotten yourself stuck," the right one said with a grin.

Pippa's face flushed and she looked down. "Well, yes, I guess I have," she mumbled, pulling at her skirt.

"Looks like you've sat in some magic Binding glue. Strongest sticking glue in the world, did you know?" The boys started walking closer to her and Pippa kept her head down, not sure which one had spoken.

"Can only be broken by the unbinding charm. Not sure how the glue got there, though."

"You two are wizards?" Pippa looked up now and studied their faces, wondering if there was anyway to distinguish witches and wizards from 'muggles' as everyone seemed to call them.

"Um, well, that depends," the left one said, turning to his brother.

"I'm a witch. Muggle-born, as you seem to call us," Pippa answered, to curious to be shy.

"Muggle-born! Explains why we haven't seen you around. Where do you live?" They walked closer to her and the one on the right began to sit down.

"Don't sit!" Pippa and the left boy exclaimed. He was already sitting now, however, and he gave them a puzzled look, before remembering the glue.

"Fred, you idiot!" The other boy exclaimed. Pippa turned her head to face the one now called Fred and saw his face turning red.

"Well, since you're wizards, can't you just do the unbinding charm?" Pippa asked.

"Hm, that's the trouble," Fred mumbled. "Uh, since we're underaged wizards, we can't do magic outside of school. Actually, we haven't even started school. We'll be first years come a couple of weeks. I assume you're a first year two since-" Pippa cut off his chatter with a glare.

"So, we're both first years, we can't do magic, and we're stuck on this log. How are we going to get unstuck?!" she demanded, too angry now to be timid. "How did the glue even get here? The strongest glue in the world doesn't just appear on a log!"

"Look, Fred, you can tell her and I'll go get mum and have her unstick you two," the twin jogged off, looking oddly relieved to leave Fred to the talking.

Pippa turned to him and and he had a startled look on his face. It was quite funny, seeing him flustered. She'd always been the shy girl and now in the magical world, she's already intimidated two boys. "So?" Pippa questioned, eyebrows raised. "I won't be mad, seeing it's pretty obvious you two had something to do with this and we won't permanently be stuck to a log. Right?"

"Well, I guess. So, you see, we special ordered this glue from the joke shop in Hogsmeade," Pippa gave him a puzzled look at the word Hogsmeade, "Right, new to magic. You'll see when we get to Hogwarts. So, we got the glue and we were trying to get our git of a brother Percy up here. We thought it would be funny, him being stuck here. Not a very well thought out prank, now that I think of it. But then you got stuck and… Yeah, I think you know the rest."

Pippa pretended to be mad but ended up laughing. "Not the best prank, truthfully. I hope you've done better."

"Oh, so you're an expert at pranks, you are! Well-" he stopped and looked at her, "Well, isn't this odd. Two people stuck on a log and I don't know your name."

"Pippa," she said, sticking out her hand for him to shake. "Well, actually it's Phillipa but no one calls me that except my parents. And you're Fred and your brother's name was?"

"George. Well, that's his name. Mine is, in fact, Fred. So, Pippa, how come we've never met? I don't remember seeing any for sale signs around. Well, not many people live around here actually."

Pippa explained how she found out she was a witch and her moving to her Aunt Nola's house.

"Ah, Nola Perlman. I remember her, lives up the road just a bit. Used to give us cookies when we were young but we haven't visited her in a while. Didn't know she had a brother," said Fred.

Pippa was going to answer when she saw George trudging up the hill with a plump, rather angry looking woman with flaming hair.

"George Weasley, you and your brother! Why, why can't you two just do regular activities! You like Quidditch, why can't you play that instead of pulling your pranks and really, gluing little girls to logs?" the woman, her face now as red as her hair.

"Ah, well, that's my mum, if the hair didn't tell you. She'll be quite upset, so don't be afraid. We're used to it but you seem quite good so," Fred mumbled, not as calm as he tried to seem.

Mrs. Weasley, although still mad, smiled when she saw Pippa. "Looks like you've gotten yourself in some trouble with the Weasley boys, love. And something tells me it won't be the last time," she said with a wink.


End file.
